Picture frame

ABSTRACT

A picture frame or the like is provided having two complementary sections which fit together. Each section includes two side members and a transparent face member with the face members slightly offset from each other. When two complementary sections are placed together, a small space is left between the face members so that pictures or the like can be inserted therein and will be visible from both sides of the frame.

United States Patent Giesecke 1 Feb. 29, 1972 [54] PICTURE FRAME .FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS [72] Inventor: Albert S. Gieseeke, 400 Montgomery St., 944,484 11/1948 France ..40/ 152.1

San Francisco, Calif. 94104 Primary Examiner-Robert W. Michell [22] Filed: 1970 Assistant ExaminerWenceslao J. Contreras [21] Appl. No.: 84,637 Attorney-Eckhoff and Hoppe [57] ABSTRACT [52] U.S.Cl ..40/l52 s11- Int. Cl. .009: 1/12 A Plcwre frame or the like IS Pwvlded s two comple- [53] dd oi Search "40/152, 1 156 10 m D mentary sections which fit together. Each section includes two I side members and a transparent face member with the face [56] References Cited members slightly offset from each other. When two complementary sections are placed together. a small space is left UNITED STATES PATENTS between the face members so that pictures or the like can be inserted therein and will be visible from both sides of the 2,548,706 4/1951 Corning ..40/ 10 3,545,111 3,561,146 2/1971 Dembar,

12/1970 Spiegel et a1...

3 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures Patented Feb. 29, 1972 3,645,025

INVENTOR ALBERT s. G/[SECKE ATTORNEY v PICTURE FRAME SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an attractive picture frame which is made of two matching sections. Each section contains side members which are set at right angles to each other so, that when the two members are placed together the four sides of the frame are completed. The side members each have a sheet of clear facing material held therebetween with the clear sheets of one member slightly offset with respect to the other so that pictures, a calendar, advertising message or ocher informational material can be placed therebetween. The materials placed between the clear sheets are thus visible from both sides of the frame.

Preferably the entire frame of the present invention is made by casting the parts of a clear resin since this provides a very attractive, inexpensive frame. However, it is possible to fabricate the frame, utilizing suitable adhesives in which case the side members might be opaque or otherwise colored while the clear face member could be of glass or transparent plastic.

The frame of the present invention preferably has fastening means at the abutting corners and these can take the form of tongue and groove members preferably with small prongs and matching dimples so that the two parts of the frame can be readily snapped together.

The frame of the present invention can be made in either rectangular or square form. When made in a rectangular form with mating tongue and groove fastening means, the two complementary sections must be different in that the clear face must be displaced toward one edge for one member and in the opposite direction for the other. However, in the special case of a square frame the two complementary sections can be identical, since here providing mating tongue and grooves does not present a problem as will be apparent from the specification.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a rectangular frame embodying the present invention showing the frame in its assembled relationship.

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the frame shown in FIG. 1 showing the parts separated from each other.

FIG. 3 is a section on the line 33 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a section on the line 44 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged detail in section on the line 5-5 of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a square frame wherein the two complementary parts can be identical.

FIG. 7 is an assembled perspective view showing two parts, made in accordance with FIG. 6, in assembled relationship.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now to the drawings by reference characters, the frame of the present invention includes a first member generally designated 8 and a second member generally designated 10 which fit together to form the completed frame. The member 8 has a top member 12 and a side member 14 which are disposed at right angles to each other. The members 12 and 14 support a transparent face member 16 which substantially completely fills in the rectangular space defined by them. The member 10 has a side member 18 and a bottom member 20 and they also support a clear face member 22. It will be seen that the members are substantially identical except that the face member 16 is slightly to the rear of the frame while the face member 22 is slightly to the front of the frame. This displacement must be at least one-half the thickness of the face members and, as a practical matter, is slightly more than this so that the desired pictures or the like can be inserted between the face members.

Thus, before assembling the parts 8 and 10, two pictures 24 and 26 can be inserted between the face members so that they will be visible through the face members. Obviously the pictures are placed back to back so that the frame qvides both a front and a rear viewing surface whereby b0 pictures are visible.

The two sections may be merely placed together and gravity will hold thepieces but some means is ordinarily provided for holding the two halves in positive complementary relationship. In the embodiment illustrated, this takes the form of a tongue 28 and a matching groove 30 on the complementary parts. Obviously the opposite side comers are similarly held together. To provide a snap-action, the tongue and groove members may be provided with small dimples and mating prongs. Thus, as can best be seen in FIG. 5, tongue 28 has dimples 32 therein, while the complementary groove 30 is provided with small prongs 34 which snap into the dimple. In this way the parts may be readily snapped together to provide a frame of attractive appearance and rigid structure, yet may be readily snapped apart when it is desired to change the pictures. Obviously the structure described can be made in either square or rectangular forms and other fastening means can be employed to hold the two halves together. Preferably each half is made as a single casting of a clear resin although they can be fabricated from flat strips merely by cementing the pieces together. When cast as a single piece obviously the side frame member will be of clear plastic while if the frame is made by fabricating small pieces together, the frame may be of a different material. For instance the frame member might be opaque or it might be made of a colored material.

It will be obvious that the structure thus far described requires two separate parts because of the relationship of the clear face members and the end fastening members. However, in the special case of a square frame, the two parts can be made identical as is shown in FIGS. 6 and 7. Here the frame member 36 is provided with a face member 38 which is offset with respect to the outside edges of the frame. At one comer a tongue 40 and a groove 42 are provided while at the opposite edge a mating groove 44 and a tongue 46 are provided. Now if a member which is identical with that shown in FIG. 6 is moved horizontally through 180 and turned upwardly through it will be seen that the tongues on one-piece match the grooves on the other and, since there has been a horizontal turning movement, the transparent face on one member will be displaced to the rear and on the other member to the front, leaving a space therebetween for the placement of pictures or the. like therein.

Obviously many variations can be made on the exact structure shown without departing from the spirit of this invention.

1 claim: 1

1. A picture frame or the like comprising in combination a. a first member comprising two side frame members having a substantial depth, said sides being at right angles to each other and rigidly attached together,

b. a transparent face member supported by said side frame members substantially completely filling the area defined by said two side frame members,

c. said transparent face member being offset from the center of the side members by at least half its thickness,

d. a second member of substantially the same structure as the member (a) and forming a complement thereto,

e. whereby said first and second members may be placed together to form a four sided frame with transparent face members for retaining a picture or the like between the face members.

2. The structure of claim 1 wherein the two members having mating fastening members to retain the first and second members together.

3. The structure of claim 2 wherein tongue and groove means are provided to fasten the two members together.

i i ii i 

1. A picture frame or the like comprising in combination a. a first member comprising two side frame members having a substantial depth, said sides being at right angles to each other and rigidly attached together, b. a transparent face member supported by said side frame members substantially completely filling the area defined by said two side frame members, c. said transparent face member being offset from the center of the side members by at least half its thickness, d. a second member of substantially the same structure as the member (a) and forming a complement thereto, e. whereby said first and second members may be placed together to form a four sided frame with transparent face members for retaining a picture or the like between the face members.
 2. The structure of claim 1 wherein the two members having mating fastening members to retain the first and second members together.
 3. The structure of claim 2 wherein tongue and groove means are provided to fasten the two members together. 